Cycle Greater Yellowstone cruises through Driggs and Victor this weekend

The 450-mile loop will show the riders participating in Cycle Greater Yellowstone a big chunk of the ecosystem in Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming.

More than 700 cyclists and supporters will cruise through Driggs and Victor over the weekend as a part of Cycle Greater Yellowstone, a 450-mile ride to support conservation in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

The main purpose of the ride is to educate the participants, who come from 48 states and four countries, about the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and the need to preserve it, said Greater Yellowstone Coalition Executive Director Caroline Byrd. “We want to give them a sense that it’s more than just a beautiful landscape. It’s a mix of a spectacular bike ride and an educational experience highlighting this particular ecosystem,” she said.

The event begins Saturday in Teton Village and continues for seven days, passing through Hoback Junction, Pinedale, Lander, and other surrounding communities. On Sunday the cyclists will ride from Teton Village over Teton Pass and into Teton Valley where they will spend the day riding and exploring. The riders will stop at the Teton Geotourism Center for lunch before heading up to Grand Targhee Resort, and then back to Victor to spend the night.

Many participants will camp out each night of the ride, and in Victor the camp will be at Pioneer Park. The Brian Maw Vand will provide entertainment and Wildlife Brewing will serve beer. Each night of Cycle Greater Yellowstone has a similar setup, with live music and camping in each of the destinations along the way.

The nightly parties allow riders and community members to interact. “It lets bike riders meet people from the communities and integrates the communities into the ride. We really like to expose people to local taste, really immerse them in it, and last year the riders really loved that aspect of the ride,” said Byrd.

At each stop over the course of the ride, people from the different communities will speak to the riders about the different ecological attributes of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem particular to each community. Sandy Mason, board member and former executive director of Valley Advocates for Responsible Development, will speak to the riders during their stop in Victor. “We have speakers every evening talking about what the riders are riding through, the landscape, and the issues. We really want this to be an educational experience for the riders,” said Byrd.

More than an educational experience, the ride also supports the local economies along the way. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition awards grants to local community organizations totaling $10,000 per day. In order to receive the grant, the community organization mans a water or support station along the way for the day, allowing for further interaction between community members and riders from out of town. Additionally, each of the approximately 700 riders spends an average of $50 per day at local restaurants, hotels, and stores, according to Byrd.

Motorists should pay attention to riders throughout Sunday as they tour Teton Valley. All community members are invited for the live music Sunday night in Pioneer Park.

For more information, see www.cyclegreateryellowstone.com.www.cyclegreateryellowstone.com

This article appeared in the Valley Citizen on August 15, 2014.